The present invention relates to an intake device for a supercharged internal combustion engine which can be installed in a motor vehicle, the intake device having an air filter box to receive an air filter element, as well as a supercharger air cooler.
In a motor vehicle known from the German magazine, ATZ, Automobiltechnische Zeitschrift, 88 (1986), pages 265 to 270, the raw air is drawn in directly in the region of the rear of the vehicle. The air flows through an air filter as well as a supercharger which is developed, for instance, as an exhaust turbo-supercharger, and is then fed to the combustion chambers of the engine. The supercharger air cooling in the case of a supercharged internal combustion engine arranged in the rear region of vehicles is problematic since, when a supercharger air cooler is arranged in the rear region, it cannot be provided with sufficient cooling air. In this case, there is involved essentially air which flows around the vehicle under way.
Arrangement of the supercharger air cooler in the front region would lead to favorable flow conditions of the supercharger air cooler, but this is not practical in the case of a rear engine due to the long length of line, which means a large expense and large flow losses.
The same applies also, for instance, in the case of trucks or utility vehicles in which the supercharger air cooler is arranged in a region in which favorable outflow conditions are not present (for instance, behind the driver's cab in trucks).